Joseph h



l(No Model.)

' J.y H.- BANKS.

STEAM TRAP. Nrn-352,387. Elytlatentedlovg, 1886."

N, PETERS Phmunwgmpnlr. wnsmngm u4 a UNTTED STATES' PATENT OFFICE.'

JOSEPH H. BANKS, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

` STEAM-TRAP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters 'Patent No. 352,387, datedNovember 9,1886.

Application led April 1, 1886. SerialNo. 197,446.Y (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Beit known that I, J osErH H. BANKS, a citizen of the United States,residing at New York, in the county andState of New York, have inventednew and useful Improvements in Steam- Traps, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to improvements in steam-traps of that classwhich vare applied to steam-heating apparatus and serve to return' thewater of condensation to the boiler.

' My invention consists, essentially, in a steam-trap embodying in itsstructure a watercylinder, which receives the water of condensation fromthe coils, a piston in said cylinder, an auxiliary ,piston which worksin a separate steam cylinder, a chamber communicating with thewater-receivin g cylinder, a float therein, which rises with the levelof water, and a steam-valve, which is moved during the rise of the iioatto admit steaml to both cylinders to edect the working stroke of thepistons. The valve is moved to admit steam to the auxiliary steam-pistonfor the return-stroke by means of levers which are actuated by thesteam-piston, all of which is more fully pointed out in the followingspecificationv and claims and illustratedin the accompanying drawings,in which- Figure 1 represents a central vertical section of an apparatusembodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a similar section of detail parts.

Similar letters indicate corresponding parts. In the drawings, theletterA designates the water-receiving cylinder, to which the water ofcondensation is conducted by the return-pipe B of the heating-plant. Ois the waterpiston, which works in the cylinder A, and is connected by arod, c, with an auxiliary piston, O', that fits the bore of asteam-cylinder, D. This cylinder is shown smaller in diameter than Y thewater-cylinder, but is of the same length haust-port, e, an auxiliaryexhaust-port, c,

and two steam-ports, e2 e3, that are all controlled by an equalizingslide-valve, E', having considerable lap at one end. As shown in thedrawings, thesteam-cylinderis connected with the ports c2 e3 bysteam-pipes' E F, respectively, one at the front and the other at therear end of the. cylinder.

Thefwater-cylinder A is in communication with the valve-chamber throughport e3 and a steam-pipe, F2, which latter is connected to thesteam-pipe F, so that when the valve E opens port e3 live steam isadmitted to both y a branch, g, so that the water of condensationlenters this chamber to raise the oat after a sufficient quantity ofwater has accumulated to fill the cylinder. nected directly to the valveE, so as to move the same on its seat as it rises; but for reasons to bepresently stated I cause the float to operate an auxiliary slide-valve,I, which is situated in a valve-chest, I', and controls an exhaust-port,t', and steam-ports M2, leading to an auxiliary cylinder, J. In thiscylinder J is tted a piston, J', which is connected with the valve E bya rod, j, and such connection is made adjustable, as usual, by means ofa nut engaging a thread on the rod j. The auxiliary cylinder is closedsteam-tight from the valve-chest E, and a stuffing-box prevents leakageabout the rod j.

Steam is admitted to the auxiliary valve I by a small branch pipe, b',communicating with the steam-pipe B', and when the valve I- opens one ofthe ports t" t2 steam enters the auxiliary cylinder J and moves thepiston therein, whereby the equalizing-valve E moves on its seat toadmit steamfrom the steam-pipe B to the cylinders Aand D, or to thecylinder D, as stated. To move this auxiliary valve I on its seat as thefloat rises, I swing the float from a rock-shaft, Z, and an arm, L,rigidly secured to this rock-shaft is connected by a link, M, with anarm, L', that is rigidly attached to This ioat G may be con-@7 5 arock-shaft, Z', which extends into or through the valve-chest Vl' andcarries an arm, L2, en.- gaging with the'auxiliary valve. The arm L' isnot directly secured to the link M, asin such a case it would bevibratcd to move the valve as the float falls, but carries a pin, Z3,which engages a recess, m, in the link, so that if the link M is swungupwardly about the arm L said link is thrown out of engagement with thepin on thearm L', and consequently the float can fall without moving thearm.

To throw the link M out of engagement with the pin Z", the piston C'engages, when near the end ofits forward stroke,with afinger, N3, whichis carried by a rock-shaft,n, and

extends into the cylinder D in a position to the cylinder A.

be engaged by said piston. An arm, N2,which is rigidly secu red to therock-shaft, is connected bya link, M', with one arm, N, of alever, NN',that is loosely secured to rock-shalt l', and can turn about the same asafulcrum without causing rotation of said shaft. The other arm, N', ofthis lever is in contact with the freeend of the link M, so that whenthe piston C' engages finger N3 the arm N' engages the link M and raisesit upward to clear the arm L',which allows the float to fall. As themotion of the arm N continues a pin, u'fthereon engages with the armL'and swings the same aboutits fulcrum, whereby the valve is moved toopen port il', which consequently causes port e2 to be opened, and steamis admitted in front of piston C'. To return the lever N N' and alsoAthe finger to their normal positions, one end of a spring, S, isconnected with the link and the other end to some suitable portion ofthe apparatus.

In arranging the steam-fitting for the trap, the return-pipe P isconnected with the watercylinder A5 by a branch, b, which is locatedbetween two check-valves, b2 b3, opening in the same direction, so thatthe water of condensation lifts check-valve b2 and enters the cylinder.

To relieve the pressure on the water as it gradually ills the cylinder,a small vent-pipe, P, is led from the top of the float-casing G andconnected with the auxiliary exhaust-port e' of the steam-chest E, whichport isin communication with the main exhaust-port e, while the wateraccumulates in the cylinder, Fig. 2.

To save the exhaust-steam from behind pis,- ton G,asteam pipe,G2, is ledfrom the rear head of the cylinder to the branch pipe b, which pipe isprovided with a check-valve opening toward the pipe b. To save theexhaust from behind piston C', the port e3 is kept closed by the lap ofthe valve E', as shown by dotted lines in Vllig. l and full lines inFig. 2, so that the eX- haust-steam cannot escape in this direction, butfinds its way through pipes F and Fz to In'the drawings the apparatus isshown by the full lines, Fig. l, in the operation of eX- pelling thewater of condensation which had accumulated in the cylinder, and thepistons C C' are moving in the direction of arrow l.

The float is in its highest positionand the valve I opens port il, andlive steam is entering the cylinder D through pipe F', and cylinder Athrough pipe FZ, so that the full boiler-pressure is on both sides ofpiston C and on one side of piston G.' rlhe exhauststeam from cylinder Descapes through pipe F and port e2. As the pistons C C' advance to theend ofV their working stroke, piston C' engages finger N' and theauxiliary valve I s caused to open port i', whereby valve E' is movedinto the position shown by dotted lines in Fig. l, and in full lilies inFig. 2, in which position ofthe same port c2 is open,port e3 closed, andthe exhaust-ports ee' are in coinmunication. cylinder D only and drivesthe pistons on their return or non-working stroke. rlhe exhaustsleamfrom cylinder D makes its way through pipe F' to cylinder A,and fromthence through pipe Gr2 to the receiving end of' the cylinder.Exhaust-steam from the cylinder A also passes to this end ofthe cylinderthroughpipe G2.

' In moving the valve Ion its seat to open port i' for the return-strokeof the pistons,the arm N oflever N' is vibrated,as stated,and lit'ts thelink M, whereby the pin Z3. of arm- L' is cleared from the Vrecess onand the float falls. f

The arm N' now engages the ar'm L' and the valve l is moved to open port'i'. The spring returns the lever N N to its original position as soonas piston C' releases the linger N3 and the link Mfalls and rests on pinl3 of arm L'. .As the lioat rises with the accumulation of water thelink M is moved forward, and finally recess m engages pin 3, and thevalve I is moved to open port i2. As the full boilerpressure is on bothsides of piston G whilethe trap is feeding to the boiler,the total forceacting against the water in the cylinder is in excess by the forceexerted by the steam on the small piston G',less the friction oftheworking parts. By properly proportioning the piston C' the trap canserve to lift the water of conr densation when said trap is locatedbelow the water-line or below the boiler.

My object in using two valves, E' and I, is to procure the fullboiler-pressure upon piston C' to the end of its stroke. As the pistonengages inger N3 valve I gradually closes the foo IIO

steam-port 2,but valve E' is not moved to close is confined therein,since the branch'g is closed by the piston C, which comes into contactwith the interior face of the cylinder-head,V

and this water serves on its release to condense the exhaust-steam whichenters the cylinder.`

What I claim as new, and desire to secure` by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination, with the water-receiw.

ing cylinder Aand its piston C, of the auxil-4 iary cylinder D, `thepiston therein connected 'f with the piston C, a chamber communicatingwith the cylinder A, a oat therein, and an equaliZing-valve connectedwith said float,

'which distributes steam to both cylinders, subiliary cylinder D, thepistony C', connected with piston C, a chamber communicating with thecylinder A, a oat therein, and an equalizngvalve connected with saidfloat, which distributes steam to both pistons on their workingstroke,and is operated by piston C' to distribute steam to the piston Con its return-stroke, substantially as shown and described.

3. The combination, with the water-receiving cylinder A and the cylinderD, ofthe connected pistons C C', the chamber G', communieating withcylinder A, the-hinged float G therein, the valve I, the arms L L L2,and li'nk M, connecting the same with the float, the finger N3, adaptedto be engaged by piston C', arm N2, link M', and lever N N', fortripping the link M and moving the valve I von its seat, the yspring S,the piston J', and the valve E', connected thereto to distribute steamto the cylinder, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination, with the Water-receiving cylinder A and its pistonC, of the auxiliary cylinder D and its piston C', connected with pistonC, a chamber communicating with the cylinder A, a iloat therein, theValve I,

operated by the float to admit steam to both cylinders. and by piston C'to admit steam to cylinder D, the steam-ports etica, t-he exhaustports ee', one of which, e', is in communication With the chamber, theeqnalizing-valve E, controlling said p'orts to bring the twoexhaustports in communication while the cylinder is receiving,substantially as shown and described. y

5. The combination, with the water-receiving cylinder A'and the cylinderD, of the connected pistons C C', the chamber G', communicating withcylinder A, the hinged float G therein, the valve I, the arms L L' L2,and link M, connecting the same with the iioat, the finger N, adapted tobe engaged by piston C', an" arm, N2, link M', and lever N N', fortripping the link M and moving theyalve I on its seat, the spring S, thepiston J', the auxiliary valve E', connected thereto to distribute steamto the cylinder, and the connection .for leading the exhauststeam intothe receiving-cylinder,substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses. p f

' 'JOSEPH H. BANKS. [L 8.]

Witnesses:

W. HAUFF, E. F. KASTENHUBER.

